The Bendigo Academy of Sport Annual Presentation Gala Evening celebrated the successes of the athletes and coaches for the 2016/2017 year.

The Bendigo Academy of Sport Athlete of the Year went to James Humphry [Canoeing]

James was awarded the Gary Tierney Memorial Scholarship Award at a Gala Ceremony on Friday 19th May at the All Seasons presented by Margaret Keech Chair of the BAS Board,  John McGrath long-time family friend of Gary Tierney and Amanda Reynolds [VIS Athlete and Rio Olympian]

James achieved the following:

  • Australian National Wildwater K1 team for 2017 – to represent Australia at the Junior Men’s Worlds to be held in Pau France
  • Best Victorian team boat results at the National team sprint titles
  • Selected in the Australian National Junior Talent Squad
  • Won the 10km Goulburn in the K1 U18 age group

James has had a very successful and exciting past 12 months. He has only been paddling competitively for 20 months and the development has been quite remarkable.

James relishes hard work and the challenges that his sport entails and his general attitude across all facets of being in the canoe squads is excellent as well as he listens and applies all that his coaches recommend.

 

Academy Coach of the Year Madeleine Batters Maddie is an ex-athlete who has returned as an assistant coach of the canoeing program for the past 2 years. Maddie has a hectic training schedule herself, as she is also an elite athlete in her own right and has made the following Australian Teams:

  • Australian Senior Wildwater team, Womens K1 -to compete at he the Worlds Wildwater Championships in Pau France
  • Australian U23 team competing in the K1 at Mur Austria

We congratulate Maddie on her commitment to her sport, the Bendigo Academy of Sport Canoeing Program; as both a coach and as a professional athlete and we look forward to hearing how she goes on the world scene.

“Frank Roberts’s outstanding service award –Glenn Woodhatch

Glenn has an extremely long history with his sport and deep love of Clay Target Shooting.

A snap shot of Glenn’s awards are as follows:

  • Life Member of the Australian Clay Target Association
  • Life Member since 1993 of the Victorian Clay Target Association
  • Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012 for the Victorian Clay Target Association
  • Awarded the prestigious Presidential Medal for the Australian Clay Target Association
  • Currently the Bendigo Clay Target Association secretary and Zone delegate

Glenn was instrumental in establishing Clay Target Shooting as a sport within the academy. He came for a chat with the Bendigo Academy of Sport at the beginning of the year of 2014 with an idea to develop juniors within his sport. With Glenn’s support as the behind the scene volunteer program manager/ mentor we were able to secure the services of firstly Steve Atkins and now Jim Sheppard as the coaches for the program.

The Bendigo Academy of Sport Clay Target Shooting has already had a World Champion and an Athlete of the Year 2015 recipient – Laura Woolley.

The rapport that Glenn has with the athletes, clubs, coach and parents is outstanding.

Glenn has such passion for his sport and the longevity of Clay Target Shooting is through their youth and he has a true commitment in ensuring that the passion is passed on.

Among the special guests attending the evening celebrations were; Mayor Cr. Margaret O’Rourke, & Amanda Reynolds. Amanda [AJ] is now a Victorian Institute of Sport athlete and is our FIRST EVER female Australian Para National and World Champion in para-canoe.In September 2016, AJ represented Australia at the Rio Paralympics where this discipline was being introduced for the first time.

Career Highlights:

  • 2016 Paralympic Team –
  • 1st (K1 200m, 500m, 1000m) – Oceania Championships
  • 1st (K1 200m, 500m, 1000m) – National Championships
  • 2014 Bronze LTA K1 200m, ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, Russia

2016/2017 Bendigo Academy of Sport Award winners:

Clay Target Shooting

Athlete of the Year – Jacob Motha

Coaches Encouragement – Cooper Reading & Kiara Dean

Golf

Athlete of the Year – Jarrett Miles

Coaches Encouragement – Jackson Guan

Individual Athletes

Athlete of the Year – Zahra Hayes

Coaches Encouragement – Ben Cosgriff

Netball

Athlete of the Year – Bridget Byrne

Coaches Encouragement – Darcey Lloyd

Tennis

Athlete of the Year – Isaac Watson

Coaches Encouragement – Hugo Kearney

 

Volleyball [Boys & Girls Squads]

Athlete of the Year – Lauren Cox & Liam Clegg

Coaches Encouragement –Holly Eason & Matt Poulter